Flexible arch support



Dec# 6, 1932. J. c. HOWELL FLEXIBLE ARCH SUP-PORT Filed April 2o, 1.952l

` INVENTOR .,703 egh 0]'[0147 811/ wlTNssEs v ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 6, '1932 AppuqatiaiewA'prii zo,

, object the provisiontof an arch support which 1V0`the-arches of the wearerl toV be is arranged 'in superposed po'sitionon the insole offa shoe and which' isadjustable in 'elevation above the sole of thes'hoe to'eorreetly' supportthe arch of thewearer and to cause Vreturned to` their normalcondition;y i Y VAnother object of the invention is vision of an archfsupporting plater-Whichis adjustable in Velevation :above the insole of,

the shoe and Whichisfalsolflexible'so that when the plate" is adjusted to the elevation desiredV under the severalarchesfof the footthe plate will conform to the natural' shape.V i '11s to be understood that the y construction of tlieinstep of the wearer. Y t i 1 e Still another objeo'tof the invention isthe provision of a longtudinallyfarched supi` porting platefrigidly-connected laterally toV the sole of the shoe inthe regionfofthe in-l step and unsecured at its-ends vvhereby `i'tiriswith the movement ofA the vfoot oil,

f*Theinventionvalso'contemplates anlaroli-Uv` supporting plate- Yhaving a curved forward portion eiitending under'the ball of the foot, which `forward portion isislotted inwardly; towardthe region of the ball of the foot" to provide ad flexible 4 extension which Will zgive the required support yet Will be comfortable to theWearer. v `i i d The invention is shown in the accompanyn r" ingdrawing, in which y. Figure l isa top .fplan'viewofa shoe with.` a portion ofthe upperreinoved to `show theV archsupporting plate m'position therein and p the adjustable means for-.supportingtlie plate :indotted lines; 1

VFigwZ is a'longitudinal sectional ,view 'ou' the line 2-2 of Figlfl {Af-is Fig. Slis a; plan vieW-o'fthe arch-support;

ingplate; V

Fig'. e' is aplanvewv' ofthe curved plate Which underlies the archLsupporting plate in the region of the ball of the vfoot;

Fig. 5. is a sectional view* on the line 545 of Fig. 4; p Y 'f Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the adjustable 1932; Serigi "Na eos-i452'.

the pro# in the regionof the-"nstep and-v` sina'd thin flexible spring rnetalfA whichisfshaped"v to `conform to the vria-tural shape Loff'th'e iIi-'Ty ilexedgtovsuit particular efonditiors by mak` ing adjustmentsatfthepoints of- 'attaeh'nif'ant.v 65a With` the shoe. p Asshown' in the'dra'vving;the said plate is applied .tor af rightA shoe; but-it` said plategisarclied longitudinally,theforf Ward'end extending a'shortdistancebejio'd the) ball of the lfoot' andissupportedb Yauf adjustabletrnfeans` arranged :inthe sole'fo the 75E' f shoe*sub"stantially.Centrally)underthe` balllv` is adjustable in elevation xtcwar'dandfi from? p80 "n a transverse ln'ein theregionofthefint4 Step'llfidl thelogitudialarches; "ffl f 1 The Side "dgesll` and I12 0f -thesaid (l) .are lcurvedto conform to the lastof?thelshoe,v (8152,; i y

portto the {side foftliefoot'fin the lieg'io'O` 'K `the instep. `Theuforward'endofffthisuplate v, whichA extends-'under the iballfofll the foot; 'isf 90 curved tij-:define an are of? "subst'antia'l'lyiai` half-irc'lefandon'each vside ofthe'sfaid 'cur-vediV t end the forvvardedgeofthe plate-fXten'dsflatl n f1';' Y erallyfte the side edges'lljfand ,112; Thesaid curved fend is' preferably slotte-dfby` alternateiv iengwanashoraiength Silas: 14 ana ifpwhichvf radiate outwardly subst-a slots" V"inayf be of irregular? Lformaltiom as@ ia-l'ly from akpointjngl if' fao holel 16 inthe plate to p reventthe fplate -A' rupturingbeyond the said opening.

To secure thepplatelO in position onthe vadjustingthe height of the vvsame above the insole, the said plate', adjacent eachside edgeU 11`andrf12v thereof,jis rigidly axedto a flange 17 ofan interiorly-threaded tubular member o V18whicl'1'latter member is'slidably mounted .in'a guide sleeve 19 arrangedv inga'n opening iii-thek sole of the shoe. kAfscrew 2O having ya iianged head 21V isrpositioned against one ed`fshank22engaging ,the interior threaded 4 v opening of; the tubular memberflS, whereby Vturning of the saidfsrewin one directionwill cause thexupperTend Aof the tubular member f i 0 18- andthe said plate affixed thereto ltobe y pregressivelrrtstl abovethe-insole othe '1' shoe, `while Aturningthe, said. screw @infthej op# 25 metendaofhel@ screw, 20 projects. mwah.

an opening ,'23A in lan vouterV plate j 24., .which plate isconnected by rivets 25:.to thefflange Y E261v 'oi-the said guide sleeve 19, therebyI securr ,Y u ustingmeans is arranged in A :similar ad an openingin the shoe sole,fsubstantiallycenball ofthe foot, as '.hereinbefore described;

'tericrlyithltetded tubularl'membe -29 .This

tubular member is/.slidably mounted in ay guide sleeve similar to ltheflconstruction oftheguidemsleevegl.y rIflieplate .Q7-isy pro-k videdf-,withva plurality of slots V81 extending Y inwardly j fromV the outer` erdgeth'ereof 'toi roxiide a., flexible f rim portion kwhich, willA Y rely -bendgwhenweightis applied ltheref` 11.150115 .Thepltealso iS'--p10vi.ded with .a ser? 'resiOf Criilar openings; @arranged-inf. ,101,17r gitllldinal andtransverse.rowsinthe' central f Portion thereof. Any one' oit-theseopeni'n'gs iss .adapteftd be. engaged ,abya; Stud 3.3@n er?.

o Y rangedf'at the 'Center ofthe flangef28yofthe v '.,f cnringimeansengagingtheopeningsQ-therein.i

165i Breierablynileather pad Qr cpveingflfsli f manner the forward vendofthe said plate is insole of the shoeand to provide means forV p ,free to flex or'bend when the weight-'ofthe end ofthe guide Sleeve 19 and with its thread;

i i115 Vbe arranged in superposed positionl upon the plate l0, as shown in Eig. 2. 4This, insolepreing, l,hes/aid sleeve in position in the Opening. i -ntheshoesolef Y f j J; .inthe desired position therenpom'andwhen f in..` Such, 'position the; LSaidy platteVv may abe; Ser,

covering extendsforwardly of the said plate i Y 'and provides acushioned surface for the forward'en'd of the platel 10. Supported in this weareris imposed thereupon.- v n A'llhe said adjusting-fmeansundertheforward end of the said plate 10 is vprovided 7:5

withasorew 35, similarv to the screw 20, for regulating the height ofthe end 'of' the plate above the'soleof the shoe. Aleather'insole 36 coextensive the Vsoleof the shoe may vents. drt .COntSaGt Of. the` footv 0f; the-wearer wththe metallic Plate 10j.. "What isfclgaimed is:V iV Y t. 5Y

1`. The :combination off'- a shoe andan arch support includingy f a, longitudinally-arched i plate arranged in the inside ofthe',slfioejandf'V extending froin the heelr 'of the; shoe forward ly to underl-iethe ball; of the foot, thefjorward.

end of said plate being-provided with a plus rality of s paced' slots toforina flexible forward Aendportion, "andiadjustable means ar'- ranged in the sole oftheshoe under'the `vfor-` ward end of the :sai'dlplatel 'for'regulating 'i the height ofthe ilexiblje end-portion'. of thefl y' said plate` abovethe sole of the shoe.; v

f 2, VThe combination ofgafshoe andenarch;l-l` 'i 3 i VVVsupport includingQa- Inetalplate arranged on@` f g y ftrally, of the sole,fandy whichy underliesthe,`

, This adju'sting-means constitutes aV support; fee the f01ivard-enfl0f, Ythe *Said plate, and. a' Brandesmeansbrivhch.thepltte may bel elevatedr y toy the position desired, above theI padseuredto. tifvalshapedfplate 27whthf latter plattk is. adapted te be. Supp'orted'in ref, Vrious'position`s`,upon, a, flange 28jof an' in-f the inside of theshoe and extendingsfromfthe Aplate above the solefjthe shoe. t Y z Y. o,

l 3.' `The combinationof a shoe and an arch; .Y supportu including,a,,jlongitudinallyfarched platey arranged: on: the inside; ofthe vshoe and extending from'the forward endof-the heel'A of ltheashoe forwardly to'underliethelball K of the foot, said plate havingjits side'ed-gell!5 'shaped: to conform @toitheflast ofthe A,shoe

and its forwardendslottedto forma flexible.. i I

endpor'tion which underlies-the ballv oiffthe.`

foot, adjustable. means;` secured tothe sole;v

ofthe vshoe undery the arch of said'plate,gand; lf2@ I independent -adj ustable -ineallsfunder the saidAV slotted vend for adjustingetheiheight lof* the.y I arch of the plate andthe said flexiblepori JOSEPH, 'o HowELL.y y, 

